Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

FPSC Classic Models and Media / Transparency woes on new models

Author
Message
BatVink
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 15:42 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 15:42
Link
I'm struggling to make a window. I have copied "Large Wall" from the Sci-Fi, along with the necessary extras. I have this working fine, I've created 3 or 4 different walls.

When I use a transparent texture, in TGA or PNG format, it doesn't work in FPSC. The grey walls in this shot should a nice, blue-tinted, 50% transparent glass...



Any ideas? I looked at the fps file, which seems to have flags for transparency. I have played with these with no luck.

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Merranvo
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th May 2005
Location: That ^ is a Orange
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 16:50
Link
use the search!

no really, this has been gone over a lot many times, there is a search feature right below the post box. Searching is your freind.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
Back to top
Profile PM
BatVink
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 17:18 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 17:24
Link
I know that searching is my friend. Having been around here for a while, and helped beta-test certain versions of the forum, I sort of know my way around these days.

I searched, and didn't find anything that fixed my problem. There may be other information out there, but if people don't put useful thread subjects, my chances of finding it are slim.

I have tried 32 bit tga files, and transparent PNGs. I have copied existing segments, and edited the fps file to use my textures, as someone so kindly wrote a tutorial on it.

Other than that, I haven't found any other useful information.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Merranvo
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th May 2005
Location: That ^ is a Orange
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 17:48
Link
I read it somewhere, it was using the alpha layer of photoshop? I don't remember the name of the tread...

P.S. even if you have been here awhile, it is still fun to tell people to search. Lower the strain on my back.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
Back to top
Profile PM
BatVink
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 19:04 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 19:04
Link
I have an alpha layer, but it doesn't apply it to the model in FPSC. It will definitely be something I'm doing wrong. I did a quick test in DB Pro to make sure the model was OK. This is it with the PNG texture, and a sphere placed behind it...



Attachments

Login to view attachments
Back to top
Profile PM Email
BatVink
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 19:10 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 19:10
Link
OK, I'm obviously tying myself in knots here. I've recreatred the fps file, pointing at the PNG texture. It works, although the tga still doesn't. Maybe that's my Graphics App that's causing a problem.

Almost there, except 50% transparency looks like 100% transparency!



Attachments

Login to view attachments
Back to top
Profile PM Email
uman
Retired Moderator
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Oct 2004
Location: UK
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 19:43 Edited at: 3rd Aug 2005 19:49
Link
To increase or lower the depth of transparency try adjusting the alpha channel depth of tone. I presume you are using a greyscale image or equivalent color image for the alpha. Just adjust the brightness (lighter or darker) accordingly and it should make your transparencey as you want it - it may take a couple of attempts at the alpha depth to get it just they way you want it. Once done to perfection keep it handy as a reference so that you can make adjusting others easier next time.

One other thing if that dont work - leave this as a last resort..... I have found that altering the number in the transparency field for the object - can have an influence on the depth of transparency. Dont know that you should alter that setting or how the numbers have any effect as Im not sure its documented. But it has worked in instances where I have tried it. As a general rule you should not alter any default settings and if you do - remember to make a note of them so you can put things back if something goes wrong.

Hope that helps a little.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
BatVink
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 21:29
Link
I've made the image up to 80% opaque now, with no change in the fully transparent look. I'll keep going though, right up to 99%

I noticed the transparency flag and set it to 1. Didn't make a difference either way. I could try some other values though.

I'm making the transparency as a PNG, simply by changing the layer transparency. No additional images for alpha, it's all embedded in the PNG. As you can see, it's perfectly acceptable in DB Pro. It's just FPSC that's overriding something somewhere.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Merranvo
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th May 2005
Location: That ^ is a Orange
Posted: 3rd Aug 2005 22:09
Link
FPSC uses DDS or TGA's.

Blasting, Shooting, and Maiming. Aspects of Modern Gamming.
Back to top
Profile PM
BatVink
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 4th Aug 2005 00:03
Link
It can use anything DB pro can use, so it can also handle JPGs, BMPs and PNGs. PNG has an alpha channel, and it works perfectly in DB Pro, see the screen shot above.

On a side note, you'll see that FPSC uses DBO models, not just X models. So if you have DB Pro, you can make faster loading models for FPSC.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
BatVink
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 4th Aug 2005 01:02 Edited at: 4th Aug 2005 01:02
Link
Transparency kicks in at about 85%, but this is obviously too opaque for glass.

Something weird is happening



Attachments

Login to view attachments
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-04-26 06:03:55
Your offset time is: 2024-04-26 06:03:55